The World of Dyslexia

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BY: Claude Picard

Issue 20

Thursday, October 27, 2016

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It has become increasingly common for parents to require the
services of a specialist in order to understand why their child is having
difficulty reading. In some cases, the
difficulties with reading are not diagnosed as dyslexia in a timely manner
through regular medical consultations.
What’s more, even with a diagnosis, it can be difficult to access the resources
necessary to address the situation. This
language difficulty can quickly become a major obstacle course with significant
consequences for the individual and the families involved. In the often misunderstood and misguided
universe of dyslexia, here are some observations from a professional’s
perspective.

First and foremost, let’s demystify dyslexia. No, dyslexia has nothing to do with
intelligence. No, the individual with
dyslexia is not unmotivated, rather he is frustrated at not being able to read
with fluidity, which is preventing him from advancing in his school studies.

Yes, approximately 15 per cent of students have this learning
difficulty. Yes, getting support from a
speech and language pathologist or neuropsychologist can be very difficult to
obtain with long waiting lists. Yes,
schools are generally ill-equipped to intervene, as teachers do not typically
receive specific training for dyslexia in the required teacher certification
programs. Yes, it’s hard to believe that in 2016, the vast majority of dyslexic
students don’t receive assistance from their schools, because they are not
coded by the Ministry, which prevents the students from receiving regular
support.

Yes, eradicating dyslexia is impossible (even if intervention and
treatment is possible). Yes, many
dyslexic students are excluded from the world of writing due to their
difficulties. Yes, we can be doing much better to support these students’
learning.

From lack of understanding to frustrationEven family members, friends or educators with good intentions
sometimes still hang onto the belief of laziness, lack of motivation and the
likelihood of a future without a high school diploma for students with
dyslexia. These beliefs are a source of heavy frustration for dyslexic
students. Psychological support is
sometimes necessary in order for the student to maintain or recapture a sense
of confidence in his abilities.

Talented beingsDyslexic students have many strengths. Einstein, President Kennedy, Walt Disney,
Leonard Da Vinci, Louis Pasteur and Rodin knew how to make a name for
themselves despite being dyslexic. Even
more astounding are the famous writers we know today who had dyslexia, such as
Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway and Florence Cestac. Even Steve Jobbs, Founder of Apple, was
dyslexic. Ironically, dyslexics are
overrepresented in the global pool of celebrities and public figures!

Step by StepThe biggest challenge still lies in the diagnosis. It is essential that this happens at a young
age, or else intervention will come very late, or not at all. Classic symptoms, such as reading or writing
difficulty, should receive more attention from school personnel.

Once the difficulties have been flagged, an evaluation by a speech
and language pathologist or neuropsychologist will follow to determine that a language
difficulty is at the root of the problem.
Of course, once this step has been completed, the work must begin:
finding academic support.

Solutions south of the borderNot only is quality intervention rare, but it is often not well
understood or not well applied, which can actually make the situation
worse. This is the result of the lack of
formal dyslexia training in Canada.

In fact, one must go to the United States to acquire a
certification from the World Association of Dyslexia. The Orton Gillingham Method or Phonics
First are two examples of programs in existence that lead to this
certification.

While we wait for these formal trainings to arrive on Canadian
soil, schools must provide better training for their teachers with resources
that are already available. We already
know, for example, that placing more attention to the letter-sound
correspondence is an effective strategy in learning to read. A structured,
sequential, cumulative, cognitive and flexible program is necessary.

Fortunately, research is happening quickly, but it must be shared
with teachers and educators more readily as it develops. One example of this? A student’s apparent
boredom, dislike or lack of motivation toward school and academics are often
the symptom of a language difficulty.

Claude Picard | Author

Claude Picard works with Centre Pédagogique La Renaissance in Laval and is the Director of Tutorat Essor in Mirabel. Having been a teacher and school principal in both public and private schools, he is in the midst of completing his dyslexia training in the United States. A recipient of several awards in education, he remains passionate about learning in general, and working with students with language difficulties in particular. He is continually working to assist these often misunderstood youth.